Solution for treatment of iron or steel.



STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT HAYES,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WILLIAM SAUNTRYMETALS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SOLUTION FOR TREATMENT OF IRON OR STEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application filed June 28, 1906, Serial No. 323,936. Renewed July 16,1908. Serial No. 443,838.

.To all whom it may concern:

New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Solutionsfor the Treatment of Iron and Steel, of which the following is adescription.

My inventionllrelates to a solution for the treatment of or steel forthe purpose of arting to it "increased toughness or ten- 's'i' le'strength without destroying its hardness, and-the invention consists inthe solution herein described and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

It is common in the art to harden or tem er steel by first heating itand then immersmg it inwater or oil which may or may not containchemicals in solution. It has been claimed that the addition of certainchemicals, such for instance as cyanid of potassium, to the water givesbetter results as far as hardness is concerned than water alone. But sofar as I am aware it has not been heretofore known that by the additionof certain chemicals to water in which heated iron or steel is immersedan increase in the toughness of the iron or steel can be produced. Bythe use of the solution hereinafterdescribed a marked increase in thetoughness or tensile strength of iron or steel subjected to its actionwhile heated is produced amounting to a complete change in the internalstructure of the iron or steel so treated.

The characteristic element of the solution of my invention is hippuricacid, but I find the best results are secured from a solution containingin addition to hippuric acid, mag nesium chlorid, chlorin, sal ammoniac,chlorid of sodium and a small amount of ammonia. These elements arepreferably used in the following proportions to a gallon of water: hipuric acid, 1/500 to 1/300 oz., magnesium (S1 orid, 1/300 oz., chlorinwater, 1/20 oz., sal ammoniac, 4 oz., chlorid of sodium, 4 oz., ammonia,1/800 oz., water, 1 gal.

In treating iron or steel I heat the iron or steel to redness and eitherimmerse it while hot in the solution or subject it hot in a closedchamber under pressure to the vapor or as into which the solution isconverted by the heat of the article treated.

I find that steel treated as above described is so changed in internalstructure as to become fibrous so that it can be broken only with greatdifficulty and by tearing the fibers apart the fracture presenting theappearance characteristic of the best wrought iron. At the same time thecapacity of the steel for being hardened or tempered is not 'destroyedor apparently lessened.

It will of course be understood that I do not desire to be limited tothe precise proportions of the chemicals above specified or to therecise strength of the solution. While I iave above stated theproportions as successfully used by me in the treatmeni of iron andsteel I have not found it necessary to weigh or measure the ingredientsprecisely or to make the solution of the precise strength specified.

I do not herein claim the'process of treating iron or steel with thesolution above de scribed nor the product produced by such treatment,such process and product forming the subject-matter of a separateapplication No. 323,934 filed June 28, 1906.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A solution for thetreatment of iron or steel containing a chlorid and hippuric acid.

2. A solution for the treatment of iron or steel containing a chlorid,chlorin and hippuric acid.

.3. A solution for the treatment of iron or steel containing chloridsand hippuric acid.

4. A solution for the treatment of iron or steel containing chlorids,chlorin and hippuric acid.

5. A solution for the treatment of iron or steel containing chlorid ofammonium (sal ammoniac) and hippuric acid.

6. A solution for the treatment of iron or steel containing chlorid ofammonium, (sal ammoniac) chlorid of magnesium and hippuric acid.

7. A solution for the treatment of iron or steel containing chlorid ofammonium (sal ammoniac), chlorid of'magnesium, chlorin and hippuricacid.

8. A solution for the treatment of iron 01 steel containing chlorid ofammonium (sal ammoniac). chlorid of magnesium, chlorid of sodium (commonsalt) ehlorin and hippuric In testimony whereof I affix my signature,acid. A 1 f h f in presence of two Witnesses.

9. so ution or t e treatment 0 iron or steel containing ehlorid ofammonium (sal BERT HAYES 5 amnioniac) ehlorid of magnesium, chlorid ofWitnesses:

sodium (common salt), ehlorin, ammonia, A. P. GREELEY, and hippuricacid. WM. J. WHOLLEY.

